Radfield House and Hamlet

The hamlet of Radfield sits astride London Road just beyond the westernmost edge of Lynsted Parish with Radfield House on the southern margin of London Road. The Society has been given a reference copy of a study - “Radfield, nr Teynham, Kent. A study into its history, archaeology and architecture”, edited by John Clancy, BA, for the Sittingbourne Heritage Museum, Local History Study Group who published the study (December 2010).

The study documents the mixture of architectural features that span the main construction period from c.1500 to 1799. Perhaps starting life as a small-holder’s home, occupied by a family and a few servants within a typical Kentish Wealden Hall - taking the form of a symmetrical oblong of modest dimensions with characteristic construction features including jetty, brick in-fill between major timber structures. As we an see in buildings of a similar age in Cellar Hill to the east, substantial corner timbers began life as oak trunks that have been upturned to provide a splayed footing. The study explains various key features, including the use of rag-stone foundations and substantial tie beams that are revealed inside. Without glass, rebated wooden shutters would have added some weather-proofing before the more modern glazed additions. Radfield House is today set in the eastern, detached, parish of Bapchild (split as it is by Tonge to the north and south of London Road). The study makes a fascinating speculation on the peculiarity of the Parish boundaries here by drawing on a possible Roman road that traversed north-to-south from Sheppey to the downs at a time when the marshes joined Sheppey with the mainland. Another mystery raised by this study is that of the ‘missing chapel’ dedicated to St.Mary and dating from the 12th century (or much earlier). Its exact location is not known but was likely to have been close to Radfield House, perhaps on the opposite side of the ancient Roman road. Mention is made to several tantalising Roman remains identified through a ‘bucket full of Roman bricks and tiles’, a training excavation at Radfield (1972 - written up by Dr Robert Baxter) and an owner who believed there was much more in the neighbouring garden! Finally, the study records the occupancy of Radfield House from the 16th century. Altogether a fascinating study of a remarkable house and hamlet.

Copies of this study may be obtained from Sittingbourne Heritage Museum

English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Scheduling record)

John Clancy, 2012, Radfield, nr Teynham, Kent: A study into its history, archaeology and architecture (Article in serial). The history of the building and its owners has been traced.
Kent Archaeological Review 190: 9-20.

2. RADFIELD HOUSE - FARMSTEAD

HER Number: MKE85462
A loose courtyard plan farmstead with buildings to three sides of the yard.
Grid Reference: TQ 9398 6282
Map Sheet: TQ96SW
Parish: TONGE, SWALE, KENT
FARMSTEAD (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1540 AD)
Type: Loose courtyard with working agricultural buildings on three sides and with additional detached elements to the main plan.
Farmhouse: Farmhouse detached in central position
Position: Hamlet
Survival: Altered - partial loss of original form (less than 50%)
New sheds: Large modern sheds built beside the historic farmstead, the farmstead could still be in use.

4. OASTHOUSE (east of Radfield House)

HER Number: TQ 96 SW 297
Two roundel oasthouse east of Radfield House, Radfield.
Grid Reference: TQ 9407 6281
Map Sheet: TQ96SW
Parish: TONGE, SWALE, KENT
OASTHOUSE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1880 AD to 2050 AD)
Two roundel brick built oasthouse east of Radfield House, Radfield. The first roundel appears on the 2nd Ed. OS map (1897-1900), with the second appearing on the 3rd ed. OS map (1907-1923). The building is extant now converted to residential use.
Identified by the Historic Farmstead Survey.

5. OUTFARM (south of Radfield House)

HER Number: MKE85463
An outfarm with a loose courtyard plan with a building to one side of the yard.
Grid Reference: TQ 9397 6239
Map Sheet: TQ96SW
Parish: TONGE, SWALE, KENT FARMSTEAD (Post Medieval - 1800 AD to 1800 AD)
Loose courtyard with working agricultural buildings on one side and with additional detached elements to the main plan
Position: Isolated positionSurvival: Farmstead completely demolished

8. MILESTONE

HER Number: TQ 96 SW 252
Milestone on the London Road (A2) at Radfield, east of the public footpath.
Grid Reference: TQ 9403 6286
Map Sheet: TQ96SW
Parish: TEYNHAM, SWALE, KENT
Milestone on the London Road (A2) at Radfield, east of the public footpath, set in the pavement by the Telegraph pole.